By Paul Sullivan, 4:56 p.m.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Lou Piniella was in a good mood Saturday afternoon until being informed after a 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles that Jason Marquis told reporters he'd rather go pitch elsewhere if the Cubs don't keep him in the rotation.

Piniella then sent a message to Marquis that will likely reverberate through camp and could lead to Marquis' exit from Chicago.

"Well, if that's the case, he can go somewhere else," Piniella said. "Win a spot in the rotation, you don't have to worry about it. ... I've got seven starters here for five spots, you know? It's a little bit too early to start talking about what he wants to do or not do."

Piniella reiterated he has never talked about using Marquis in the bullpen if he doesn't win a spot.

"I've never said that," Piniella said. "I'm giving him a chance to compete and win a spot in the rotation." After answering a question about Kerry Wood's performance, Piniella stopped in mid-sentence and began talking about Marquis again.

"You know, that galls me about Marquis, it really does," he said. "I'm not pleased with that comment. We've had a good camp over here, everybody's getting an opportunity. Go out and win a spot in the rotation."

Piniella has not spoken to Marquis about his situation and was caught off guard to hear Marquis was basically giving the Cubs an ultimatum

"Sure it's a surprise," he said. "We've got seven guys here that are competing for spots in the rotation and everyone is going to be given an equal chance. After the first start of spring training, saying if I'm not going to make the rotation I'd like to go somewhere else?

"He can go somewhere else right now if he wants. How's that?"

i heard from a very unreliable source that there are actually teams interested in this guy. id get rid of him ASAP. that is not the kind of talk you want to hear this early in camp. trade him for a bag of balls if that is all you can get.

i dont have an axe to grind with the guy, he actually helped the cubs stay afloat early last year, but i would be very suprised if he breaks camp with the cubs.

Thats right Jason, but yourself before the team. I love Lou, because Dusty would have named Marquis the opening day starter after his stellar performance today.

Marquis is all talk. All he does is get the shit beat out of him. Fuck trading him, release his ass.

I am no Marquis fan, but he is a guy who can throw a really good game, however, he can stink the place up as well, and as a manager, you have to know that and just not let it get out of hand,

Marquis a guy who you just need to pull quicker. None of this letting him work his way out of it or find a groove shit.

That said, Hendry will really try to move him now.

Marquis for ROberts?

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

Sounds a bit one sided, no?

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Not if he is talking about Bip Roberts

You never really had much credibility to me to criticize Kenny Williams, but now....holy fuck. Never again should you utter anything in the direction of KW.

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lol

So Greg has now taken my quick toss out of a deal and thus I am no longer qualified to question the "Great KW"

Fact is that the Cubs have offered a large number of players, packages to the Orioles, and most likely marquis has been one of them, so I am going to say that while the deal is one sided, I bet it has been offered.

Greg? You ever sat with Kenny at a game and heard him talk about deals? I will assume you haven't. Yes, I have . Many times. So I will say I have my "Cred" in place.

I love the diehard Sox guys going to the mat to defend KW and his angry black man hard ass GM exterior chicago tough wheeler dealer self imposed genius stature.

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

You did not say 'packages' of players. What you said insinuated that the trade should be Marquis for Roberts straight up. If you think there's a GM out there willing to make that trade, I've got some oceanfront propert in New Mexico I'd like to sell you..

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I love Sweet Lou. Good for him putting this baby in his place. They have played what like 5 games and this toolbox is asking for a trade if he doesn't start. Um... how about you win the job assmunch? So if Lieber and Marshall perfrom better he should still get the job? Sounds to me like Marquis belongs on the Reds.

I stopped reading after this comment. What don't you know? He sucks! There is no sitting on the fence with this guy.

They need to add another starter before I will jump on the Cubbie blue bandwagon. I wouldn't be surprised if Hill and Lilly had good years or bad years.

I'm worried Lilly will continue his post season suckeness and Zambrano will be pointing at the umpires more then the sky.

What can I say, I'm a Cubs fan.

When Soriono hurts his finger catching fly balls from a pitching machine, I have a right to worry.

I don't understand why the Cubs weren't more proactive in finding another quality arm in the offseason. Haren, Blanton, Bedard, were guys that could have been major improvements, maybe the asking price would have been a little to rich for the Cubs, but it never seemed like it was a top priority for the Cubs.

Does the front end of the Cubs staff compare with the Phillies, Mets, D-Backs, Padres or Dodgers? I don't think so. Zambrano's ERA has gone up in the last three years (I think his workload the past five years maybe taking a toll), and Lilly and Hill pitched poorly in their playoff starts.

The Cubs starting depth maybe enough to win the division, but the quality may not be enough to win in the playoffs.

Also, while Marquis can drive you crazy, Dempster doesn't exactly inspire much confidence.

I looked at his numbers as a starter and, wow, they are not good. He had 5 seasons where he started 20 or more games and only one year did he have an ERA under 4.70. He somehow won 15 games in 2001 with an ERA of 4.94. This playing in Florida, a pitchers ballpark.

Add in that ERA of 5.38 and 6.54 in '02 and '03 and maybe Marquis doesn't look to bad .

marquis isnt a bum, but he relies so much on that sinker that if it isnt working, he gets pounded. if it is working, he looks pretty good. he just cant consistently keep that pitch down. he gets away with it in the cold months, but in the summer he gives up so many homers. he was a big part of keeping the cubs within contact early last year during that bad start they had.

it is discouraging that he is mouthing off like that. i think he can be handy to have around for spot-starting duty, but if he isnt happy they need to get rid of him. you dont need him sulking all season in the bullpen.

Any of these many times you heard KW talking trades that you would like to share with the class? As much as I appreciate you starting this board, I think you are so full of shit it makes my head spin. We know you hate KW and hate JR, but I just dont get why you keep posting it over and over again? For someone who is a Cubs fan, why not just post Cub thoughts and stay out of the Sox section? Plus for someone so important and influential what happened to your spelling and grammar? Makes me think of you as the message board equivalent of Mike North. You both have your guys, never ending feuds that no one understands, and the inability to have a coherent thought.

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ouch!

Does an insult get much worse?

That description sounds more like Jay Mariotti to me.

For Mr. EG Greg

Any of these many times you heard KW talking trades that you would like to share with the class?
-Heard many many trades over years. GM's toss out trades with each other just like Fanatsy GM's do. Also Heard Krause and Paxson too.

As much as I appreciate you starting this board, I think you are so full of shit it makes my head spin.
-This is because I had access to information you don't?
We know you hate KW and hate JR,
-You and your Sox friends then have a comprehension problem. Never once said I hate JR. I admire and like Jerry. Yet, you seem to think I don't?
why not just post Cub thoughts and stay out of the Sox section?
-I am in the Cubs section, Just as much as you come in here I shall continue to post about the Sox. Plus, it is my site. So....
Plus for someone so important and influential what happened to your spelling and grammar?
-Spelling and Grammar sucks, plus I never check it. Who said I was important and influential? I guess you really do look up to me?
Makes me think of you as the message board equivalent of Mike North.
-Yes, I make Millions from this
You both have your guys, never ending feuds that no one understands, and the inability to have a coherent thought.
-Yes, I have friends. You should look into that yourself it sounds like, you seem to think you understand I hate KW, so what is incoherent? As for my NEVER ending Fueds? That would now be With you I guess, sometimes Frank and the 2 guys who wanted to "Deliverance" me.

Greg, didn't I once give you FREE tickets to a Cubs game and actually meet you there? Hmmm maybe not

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

No you never gave me tickets. And no I have never met you before.

You are entitled to your opinion, I just dont agree. As so much as the feuds go, I dont envision myself in a feud with you, but if you want to be we can.

I just think that you happen to throw out, I know a guy or I have a guy who knows...X Y Z. To me it just reeks of someone who wants attention by telling us all the influential people that you know.

You may admire Jerry, but you tend to drag his name through the mud even in the most far reaching postings.

As far as Kenny goes, is there one good thing he has done? You have said before that he got lucky with many of his World Series winning year moves.

Other than that, thanks again for setting up the board, and allowing me to be an asshole to those with retarded opinions.

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